As leaders, we often hear that change is good. But do we truly believe this sentiment? If so, why do we so often resist change in our organizations? The simple answer is change takes us down an uncertain path. With coaching and mentoring, we can better prepare everyone on our teams — including ourselves — to embrace change and make it work in our favor.
In business, change requires effort and persistence. We can no longer rely on the “tried and true” of status quo behaviors. We must refocus and shift into new habits, which isn’t always easy. This explains why about two-thirds of change initiatives either completely fail (50%) or get mixed results (16%).
Here’s how a few subtle shifts in your coaching and mentoring efforts can encourage employees throughout your organization to be more open to change.
Change Is Nothing New
Though it may seem otherwise, due to numerous upheavals over the past 18 months, change is nothing new in the business world. In fact, leading through change is an oft studied topic. I, for one, appreciate the volume of models and ideas surrounding change that have been offered by astute observers over the past two decades.
John Kotter, a renowned professor and leadership guru, built his model for leading through change after 40 years of observations. Kotter noticed successful companies understood the need for:
- Urgency
- Coalitions
- Vision
- Cohesive engagement
- Overcoming obstacles
- Celebrating short-term milestones
- Relentless pursuit of success
- Anchoring change in company culture
Reading Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change several times over the past decade has underscored the fact that we can’t just talk about change. Rather, we must behave our way into it. Through coaching and mentoring, we must influence and model the behaviors we desire to see in our companies. As leaders, the process starts with us.
Coaching & Mentoring Our Teams Through Change
First, we must be clear and precise about the behaviors that will make the change we desire inevitable. This requires careful observation and clear articulation. Without measurable behaviors, we’ll be left with subjective, vague targets. We must clearly state what we want people to do.
Second, we must consistently and repeatedly work on motivations and abilities at the personal, social, and structural (or systemic) levels.
Make It Personal
Our stories must be personal so that we capture the hearts of our teams. Together and as individuals, we must sense the urgency for immediate change. Coaching and mentoring employees at the personal level will be necessary to make the behaviors we seek possible. This training should include remediation techniques if a person slips back into old behaviors.
Get Social
To address the social aspects, we should use positive peer pressure to create support systems within the organization. Find the social leaders and concentrate efforts in securing buy-in and their leadership in the effort. It takes a village to create change, so tap into various workplace social networks and enlist the best and brightest to support their peers.
Structurally Speaking
Potential barriers to success need to be identified and removed. Examine how you reward your employees. Could these rewards become obstacles to your change initiative? What new rewards or recognition may need to begin. Are there silos or exemptions to the change efforts that must be addressed? What are the milestones and how will you celebrate them?
Often, new systems or modifications will be introduced into the workplace culture. These are the everyday ways we do things. How could you make it easier for your people to learn and teach each other how to use your altered systems and navigate your culture?
Make Changes & Charge Ahead
Ultimately the changes we wish to see in our companies must be institutionalized and practiced by all, including the leaders. We’re not just telling our people what to do. We’re demonstrating resolve and the change we desire. Through coaching and mentoring, we can help employees better themselves and the workplace by embracing change.
Sales consultant and trainer Jeffrey Gitomer states: “Change is not a four-letter word… but often your reaction to it is!” If we follow the advice of Kotter and the Influencer authors, this doesn’t need to be the case. We can make change attractive and life-giving to our companies. We can make effective change inevitable and charge ahead into the future.